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View some reasons one would want to dispaly RSS in there business model..

Practical Uses for RSS in Business

Use Your Own ContentAlmost ANY web based content can be
transformed into an RSS feed. The only real requirement is that the information
changes regularly.

News HeadlinesTypically, the main use of RSS is to present
headlines and a short introduction to "newsy" stories. Create an RSS feed on
your site featuring your company press releases, site updates, etc.

Are you wondering what you can use RSS for right now? Here are some
practical examples of RSS at work.

Upcoming EventsRSS is a great way to let people know of events and
activities that may be happening soon. It's easy to turn an "events" page into
an RSS feed.

Thoughts/CommentaryYou've probably heard of the term "blog" or
"weblog". It's a page that displays (in chronological order) a series of
writings on whatever the author wants to write about. While a normal blog also
allows others to add their comments to yours, you don't have to offer that
functionality.

Set up a page where you regularly add your thoughts on all sorts of issues -
or just one issue - with the most recent post at the top of the page. Include
these items in an RSS feed, and you've got a whole new audience for your pearls
of wisdom.

ArticlesShare your knowledge. This is a more "formal" type of
writing, where you write a series of articles on a specific topic. Add a new
article on that topic every week or so. Set up several topics and you've got
several new RSS feeds to attract even more interest in what you know.

Don't forget to include a resource box in the article which allows others to
reproduce your article on their site, with an obvious link back to you.

New ProductsGot an online store with new inventory added
regularly? Add details about your newly added items to an RSS feed to let people
know what's just come in.

Weekly/Monthly SpecialsDo you regularly make special offers on
different products in your inventory? Again, RSS is a great way to tell people
what's on special this week... or this month.

NewslettersIf you regularly produce an email newsletter, then
consider converting it to RSS format as well as continuing to email it. After
all, your newsletters ARE also shown on your web site... aren't they?

New LinksIf you have a links directory, considering creating an
RSS feed of the new links added to your directory in the last week or so. If you
have a category structure within that directory, with links added often, you can
create a feed for each category.

New MembersDo you run a public membership site? Recently joined
members could be listed in an RSS feed with links direct to their profiles. What
a great way to welcome new members!

Note: Aim to have up to 15-20 items in each feed if possible. You can
have more items if you want. Just remember that most feed reading software will
NOT display all the items. Many may only show the first 5 or 10.

Ben and Ina Sims have taken extensive trips in their
motor home before, but none impacted them quite like their last.

The Salem couple ventured to Mississippi for 6 1/2 weeks
and volunteered for a faith-based relief agency that continues to provide aid to
victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"We could have put X number of dollars in, but who would
we have given it to?" Ben Sims said. "We thought the best thing we could do was
to go ourselves, then we'd know exactly where our funds were spent."

Ben managed a supply warehouse for the United Methodist
Committee on Relief in the community of Wiggins.

Ina sorted new and used clothing that came into the
warehouse, which also distributed bottled water, food and cleaning supplies.

"Anybody who needed them, we got them to them as fast as
we could," Ben said.

The Sims, who are both in their 70s, also volunteered in
the town of Lakeshore, which is about a mile from the gulf. They parked their
motor home on the property where a Baptist church once stood before the
hurricane struck.

"It was heartwrenching," Ben said. "There was much more
devastation than we had imagined."

"You'd feel helpless," Ina said, "because there was so
much to do."

Their church back home, First United Methodist in
downtown Salem, collected $774 one Sunday for them to buy blankets for victims.
An Iowa man they met in Mississippi chipped in $500 when he heard what the Sims
were doing.

They were able to buy 183 blankets, which they handed
out to residents of DeLisle.

Ben Sims spent time in Mississippi in the early 1970s,
while in the Air Force and stationed at Biloxi. It was shocking for him to see
once familiar neighborhoods demolished.

"It was difficult trying to remember what was in a
location," he said, "because there was nothing there."

During their stay -- from Oct. 20 to Dec. 7 -- they did
witness signs of hope in the rebuilding process.

"Things came back some while we were there," Ina said.
"Wal-Mart was built up again, and they did open one mall.

The Cut-Off
A Louisiana riverboat captain is trapped forever in a cut-off

The Cut-offretold byS. E.
Schlosser

The devil was in the Mississippi River that night. You could feel it with
every eddy swirling against the helm of the boat. You could hear it in every
jangle of the bell. You could see it in the dim light of the lantern as it tried
to pierce the swirling fog. You could sense it in the sound of the chugging
engine. The devil was in the river. It was a bad night to be out in a
paddleboat. But he had sworn when he set out that nothing could make him turn
back.

No other pilot dared brave the Mississippi that night. They were all huddled
in the tavern, gossiping. After an evening of listening to their empty boasts,
he had made one himself. He knew the Mississippi River so well that he could
guide his paddleboat on his run even through the thickness of the night's fog.
When the other pilots heard his boast, they laughed and told him he would be
back before midnight. He had grown angry at their jeers, and had sworn in front
of them all that he would not turn back this night for any reason, should the
Devil bar the way!

The paddle wheeler was rocking oddly under the strange eddies of the river.
But he knew every turn and guided her along despite the fog. He was almost to
Raccourci when he saw shore where no shore had ever been before.

He turned the boat this way and that. It could not be! The river ran straight
through on this branch. He had guided his paddleboat through this place a
hundred times.

But the devil must have been listening at the tavern and had heard his boast,
for the Mississippi had shifted! He swore every curse he knew, and kept
searching for a way through. He had vowed to complete his run without turning
back and he was determined to carry out his vow. He would never go back. Never!
He would stay there until daybreak, and beyond if need be.

Suddenly, the paddleboat gave a massive jerk. The engine stalled. The boat
shuddered and overturned. When the fog lifted the next day, they found his
paddleboat sunk to the bottom with a gaping hole in its side, and the pilot
drowned.

On foggy nights, you can still hear the ring of the bell, the sound of the
engine and the curses of the ghost captain trying to complete his run.

You can read a longer version of the Louisiana folktale in Spooky South by S.E. Schlosser

The Cursing of Colonel Buck
A witch's curse haunts the colonel long after death

The Cursing of Colonel
Buckretold byS. E. Schlosser

Now Colonel Buck was not what you'd call the most virtuous man in town. No
sir! He had an eye for the ladies, did Colonel Buck, and he would chase them
'til he got what he wanted. Then he would drop them like a hot brick.

Well, Colonel Buck has a pretty maid working for him. It weren't long
before he started noticing her and she, poor lass, started looking back. One
thing led to another, don't you know, and one day Colonel Buck turned out his
pretty maid, seeing as she was unmarried and in the family way.

Well
now, that pretty lass had a deformed baby boy, and she had a hard time making
ends meet with a growing son. She began putting pressure on ol' Colonel Buck to
take responsibility for the boy. Well, Colonel Buck weren't having none of that.
He began putting it about town that this lassie was really a witch. The rumor
spread and spread. The townsfolk became a-feared of the lass and one day they
grabbed the woman and brought her before Colonel Buck. He condemned her to death
for sorcery, and had her burned at the stake. The woman shouted a curse at the
Colonel as she burned, swearing that he would always bear the mark of this
injustice.

Her poor young son was forced to watch his mother being
burned as a witch. When one of his mother's legs fell from her burning body, he
broke away from the crowd, ran forward to pick up the leg and fled. It was the
only piece of his mother he had left to bury.

After Colonel Buck's
death, a grand tombstone was erected in his honor. A few weeks later, a strange
discoloration began to form on the stone. It was the picture of a woman's leg.
The reminder of the woman and her curse embarrassed the people of Bucksport.
They had the stone thrown out to sea. But the stone was washed ashore, the image
of the leg still branded upon it. The town leaders had the stone smashed to bits
and they put a new tombstone on Colonel Buck's grave. But the image of the leg
reappeared on the new stone, and could not be removed. It remains there to this
day; a reminder of a poor girl who was robbed of her innocence and later her
life by Colonel Buck.

You can read a longer version of this spooky Maine folktale in Spooky New England by S.E. Schlosser.

Many and many a year ago, two Micmac warriors from
rival villages got into a terrible argument. Harsh words were exchanged, and
then knives were pulled. The warriors battled back and forth on the banks of a
small creek. They fought with the ferocity of grizzlies, tearing at each other
with their knives, ripping at each others clothes and hair.

Suddenly, one of the warriors slipped on the muddy bank and fell into the
waters of the creek. His bloody knife slipped from his hand and sank down and
down to the bottom, landing upon a rock just beyond his reach. The warrior
strained his pain-wracked body towards the knife as his blood filled the waters
of the creek, but it was just beyond his fingertips. He thrashed and clawed
towards his knife, desperate to reach it before his rival killed him, but no
matter how he stretched, it always slipped out of reach.

On the bank above, the victorious Micmac warrior saw his rival sink into
the blood-stained waters and lay still, the knife just a hair-breadth beyond his
fingertips. He did not rise again. The fallen man's people found him a few hours
later and tenderly rescued his body from the rippling waters of the creek. But
when they tried to retrieve his bloody knife from the rock beneath him, it
always slipped beyond their reach, though the creek was not deep.

Many and many a year has passed since that bloody day by the creek, and
still the blood-stained knife lies beneath the rippling waters of the creek.
Whenever anyone tries to reach it, the knife slips out of reach. It is like
trying to touch something on the bottom of the sea, although the creek itself is
not deep. Even the rushing waters of the spring season do not move the
mysterious knife or wash away the blood staining its blade.

For this reason, the creek is called Wokun - meaning "knife" by the
Micmac people, and the white men call it "Bloody Creek".

The Bloodstain
A murdered man haunts the house where he was killed.
The Bloodstainretold by S.
E. SchlosserThe Phelps place was an old, abandoned property
with a monstrous, decrepit Victorian house that was supposed to be haunted. It
should have been a good resting place for the local deer hunters, but they would
not go near it. A few that tried came away before midnight with tales of ghostly
thumping noises, gasps, moans, and a terrible wet bloodstain that appeared on
the floor of the front porch and could not be wiped away.
Phelps was an Englishman who had purchased land some 20 miles off the
Mendocino coast in the 1880s. He had built a huge, fancy Victorian house all
covered with gingerbread trimmings and surrounded by lovely gardens. When
everything was arranged to his liking, he sent out party invitations to everyone
within messenger range. It was the biggest social event of the year, with music
and dancing and huge amounts of food. Sawhorse tables were set up with
refreshments, and drinks were set out on the front porch. People came from miles
around. The only one missing was old man McInturf's son-in-law. They had had a
terrible fight that afternoon, and the boy had stalked off in a rage,
threatening to get even with the old man.
Around midnight, the musicians took a recess and old man McInturf went
out on the front porch with some friends. Suddenly there came the thunder of
hooves rushing up the lane. A cloaked figure rode towards the lantern-lit porch.
McInturf put down his drink. "That will be my son-in-law," he told his friends
as he went down the steps. The cloaked figure stopped his horse just outside the
pool of lantern-light. There was a sharp movement and two loud shots from a gun.
Old man McInturf staggered backwards, shot in the throat and the chest. The
cloaked man wheeled his horse and fled down the lane as friends ran to the
assistance of the old man.
They laid McInturf down on the porch. He was bleeding heavily and they
were afraid to move him much. There was some talk of fetching the doctor, but
everyone knew it was too late. So much blood was pouring from the old man's
wounds that it formed a pool underneath his head. McInturf coughed, once, twice;
a hideous, gurgling, strangling sound that wrenched at the hearts of all who
heard it. Then he died.
McInturf's body was laid out on the sofa, and the once-merry guests left
in stricken silence. The servants came and wiped the red-brown bloodstain off
the floorboards. The next day, a wagon was brought to the front of the house and
McInturf's body was carried out onto the porch. As the men stepped across the
place where McInturf had died, blood began to pool around their boots, forming a
wet stain in exactly the pattern that had been wiped up by the servants the
night before. The men gasped in fear. One of them staggered and almost dropped
the body. They hurriedly laid McInturf in the back of the wagon, and a pale
Phelps ordered the servants to clean up the fresh bloodstain.
From that day forward, the Phelps could not keep that part of the porch
clean. Every few weeks, the damp bloodstain would reappear. They tried
repainting the porch a few times, but the bloodstain would always leak through.
In the county jail, McInturf's son-in-law died of a blood clot in the brain. A
few months later, one of the Phelps servants went mad after seeing a "terrible
sight" that made his head feel like it was going to exploded. Folks started
saying the house was being haunted by the ghost of McInturf, seeking revenge.
The property was resold several times but each resident was driven out by the
terrible, gasping ghost of McInturf reliving his last moments and by the
bloodstain that could not be removed from t[...]

Black Bartelmy's Ghost
Black Bartelmy was an evil, surly buccaneer who murdered his wife and children and went to sea with a band of pirates as nasty as he. (Nova Scotia)

Black Bartelmy's Ghostretold
byS. E. Schlosser

Black Bartelmy was an evil, surly buccaneer who
murdered his wife and children and went to sea with a band of pirates as nasty
as he. He roamed the Atlantic coast, murdering and pillaging and laying waste to
the countryside as he passed. By the time he approached Cape Forchu in Nova
Scotia, Black Bartelmy had a ship loaded with treasure; five hundred chests had
he full of gold and jewels and goblets and mighty swords.

A thick Fundy fog lay over the bay as the ship approached, and the
treacherous Fundy tide soon took hold of the evil man's ship. The crashing,
churning waters of the Roaring Bull, that dangerous ledge of rocks near Cape
Forchu, took the pirates ship and smashed its hull.

But Captain Bartelmy spotted land to the starboard side of the ship. He
and his trusted mate Ben the Hook had the crew loaded up the escape boat with
every treasure chest they could fit. Then the bold pirate had his first mate
murder the other buccaneers so they would not have to share the treasure with
them. Ben the Hook crouched just out of sight in the rocking escape boat and
slit each man's throat with his hook as the seaman bent to place his burden in
the hold. Then Ben threw each body over the side of the ship into the churning
waters below so that the next pirate would not sense a trap when he came forward
with his treasure.

When the treasure was loaded into the boat, Bartelmy and Ben the Hook
rowed into the calmer waters of the cape. They searched for a place to bury
their treasure. Finding a large cave, they piled each chest inside and then
covered the entrance with rocks. As Ben the hook rolled the last boulder into
place, Bartelmy thrust a sword deep into his chest, twisting it with an evil
laugh, and watched as his mate fell dead at his feet.

Knowing that he had to leave this remote spot or starve, the evil pirate
captain walked along the edge of the water, searching for a town or a harbor
where he might row the escape boat. But Black Bartelmy soon found himself mired
in quicksand with no one to save him. Only the gulls heard his dying curses
ringing over the cape as he sank down and down into the mire and was engulfed.

One stormy night soon after the pirate's death, the keeper of the local
lighthouse saw a flare going up in the direction of the Roaring Bull. Thinking
it is a ship in trouble; the keeper called together a lifeboat crew and launched
their boat into the icy waters, heading for the Roaring Bull. But as they
approach the vessel in distress, they saw an ancient galleon with tattered
sails. Its decks were piled high with treasure chests spilling over with gold.
Astride the deck is a solitary man in black. The evil pirate grinned wickedly
down at them, gesturing grandly with his cutlass. As the breakers overwhelmed
their boat, the last thing the keeper and the rescuers heard was the sound of
Black Bartelmy's ghost, laughing.

They say that the ghost of Black Bartelmy continues to haunt the Cape and
the Roaring Bull to this day, and that any rescue crew summoned to save a vessel
off the Roaring Bull should take every precaution, because the distressed vessel
might not really be there.

If you travel to Bear Lake in Utah on a quiet day, you just might catch a
glimpse of the Bear Lake Monster. The monster looks like a huge brown snake and
is nearly 90 feet long. It has ears that stick out from the side of its skinny
head and a mouth big enough to eat a man. According to some, it has small legs
and it kind of scurries when it ventures out on land. But in the water - watch
out! It can swim faster than a horse can gallop - makes a mile a minute on a
good day. Sometimes the monster likes to sneak up on unwary swimmers and blow
water at them. The ones it doesn't carry off to eat, that is.

A feller I heard about spotted the monster early one evening as he was
walking along the lake. He tried to shoot it with his rifle. The man was a crack
shot, but not one of his bullets touched that monster. It scared the heck out of
him and he high tailed it home faster than you can say Jack Robinson. Left his
rifle behind him and claimed the monster ate it.

Sometimes, when the monster has been quiet for a while, people start saying
it is gone for good. Some folks even dredge up that old tale that says how Pecos
Bill heard about the Bear Lake monster and bet some cowpokes that he could
wrestle that monster until it said uncle. According to them folks, the fight
lasted for days and created a hurricane around Bear Lake. Finally, Bill flung
that there monster over his shoulder and it flew so far it went plumb around the
world and landed in Loch Ness, where it lives to this day.

Course, we know better than that. The Bear Lake Monster is just
hibernating-like. Keep your eyes open at dusk and maybe you'll see it come out
to feed. Just be careful swimming in the lake, or you might be its next meal!

You can read a longer version of this spooky Utah folktale in Spooky Southwest by S.E. Schlosser.

Portable or contractor-grade generators typically have cruder engines which are noisier of themselves...Question: We just bought a new fifth wheel. I'm researching the different alternatives for a 4kw generator. My question is, are portable generators such as those available at Home Depot, adequate for occasional (non-campground) use? I'm thinking of just throwing it in the bed of the truck to use when the A/C is needed for sleeping or we want to run the microwave on a boondocking trip. I can't really afford a good RV class generator right now.

Answer:

Most experienced 'campers' have gone through this dilemma and many of us have learned the hard way (is there any other way?) that the RV class generator is the only way to go. The basic reasons are that RV generators have about three times the horse power and run at around 1800 rpm., which is much easier to muffle. They also have electric start and are built for many hours of continuous use.

But if a portable is the only thing you can afford then here's few thoughts compiled from a discussion on the RV-Talk mailing list.

Portable or "contractor-grade" generators typically have cruder engines which are noisier of themselves, and run twice as fast as RV-type generators creating more noise. Compare the noise ratings. To make a fair comparison, make sure that the rating is given at the same distance e.g., "55db at 20 feet".

Check the height of the generator to make sure it doesn't stick up past the bed rails of your truck and *rob* your clearance between your fifth wheel and the truck.

Running a generator in the truck bed often amplifies the sound. If you plan to leave it in the truck while it's in operation, you can (1) mount the generator on sound-absorbing feet or thick rubber pad, and (2) supplement the stock muffler with an automobile or other large muffler. This will not reduce the mechanical noise made by the motor though.

Boondocking in the desert at Quartzsite we saw many RVers with portable generators set down in a wash (below grade) away from the camp site. This significantly reduced the noise level. The drawbacks are having to unload the generator and locate it in the wash and the need for a heavy gauge extension cord long enough to reach the RV. Also consider the walk out to start and stop the generator when you want to run it. There is a possibility of theft. And of course what's quiet for you may be noisy for your neighbors.

"Throwing" a 150-lb generator into and out of the truck bed can really get old.

The exhaust system may not be an approved spark arrestor type, as required in many camping areas... although it's sometimes an option.

An air conditioner is a large load for all but the biggest portable generators. Consider if you will be using the A/C, and therefore the generator, for several hours at a time. Make sure the generator is rated for continuous use.

The above also applies to a travel trailer assuming it's pulled by a truck but motor home owners will have the added problem of storage. If you have space in your motor home to store a generator you should really consider installing an RV generator.Contributed by: http://www.rvbasics.com/

Some common RV furnace problems can be solved with basic troubleshooting and simple repairs.Pilot Light Won't light or stay lit. Make sure the thermocouple is positioned properly in the pilot flame

A common problem is a bad regulator at the propane tank. A simple test will indicate if this is the case. Light all the stove burners and look at the color of the flame. The flames should be blue with little or no yellow color. If the flame does not change color then the regulator is probably working. A bad regulator could also cause problems with the hot water heater.

Fan doesn't run and no heat. If the fan will not start you should first check the thermostat. Remove cover and look for the "anticipator" adjustment. It will be an adjustable control with a sliding contact over a straight bare wire or a bare wire wound about an insulating material. If the fan will not start set the temperature to maximum and then move the anticipator slider while listening for the fan to start. Be sure to wait long enough... it normally takes our furnace 30 to 40 seconds for the fan to start once the thermostat sends a signal.

If the fan starts after you move the slider then you have probably found the problem. In this case you may find a slider position near the original position that will work reliably. If your thermostat anticipator adjustment uses the straight wire design and the wire lies directly on the plastic housing then you should look to see if the wire has sunk into the plastic. This wire produces heat and causes the wire to sink into the plastic and the slider no longer makes contact. It may be necessary to replace the thermostat.

Fan runs but no heat. If your furnace fan starts you can assume that the thermostat is working.

Possible problems are insufficient air flow through the furnace or a bad regulator at the propane tank.

A furnace contains an internal sail switch, that senses the air flow. If the air flow is not sufficient then the switch will prevent the furnace from igniting and the fan will run but you will get no heat. Check to see if any heat registers are closed or blocked. Some furnaces will not tolerate even a partial closure of a heat register. A low voltage condition may cause the fan to run too slow to activate the sail switch.

If you have an electronic ignition check to see if the two contacts are touching or are too far apart. They should be about 1/8 apart.

We should all be aware of the possibility...A few years ago while staying the Tyson Wash LTVA at Quartzsite we saw, off in the distance, the black smoke of an RV on fire. We have also seen the aftermath of an RV fire. But standing beside a couple watching their motor home burn in a matter of minutes was a sobering and emotional experience.

As we began the climb up Chiriaco pass headed toward Quartzsite, AZ Fran and I spotted a black plumb of smoke ahead. As we got closer we saw that it was a motor home on fire and pulled over to see if we could help. I instinctively grabbed our two small fire extinguishers but it was evident they would be no match for a fire which was already out of control.

The driver told us the engine started to act up as they made the climb and backfired a few times. They decided to pull over and see if they could figure out what was wrong. When he lifted the engine cover black acrid smoke and flame filled the motor home and all they could do to get out as fast as possible.

They lost everything in the motor home including their little dog which was lying on dashboard.

As I said it was a sobering and emotional experience that got me thinking and I made some observations.

1) RVs burn fast! We arrived less than five minutes after the fire started and already the motor home was beyond saving.

2) The smoke is very toxic and you may not be able to stay inside and fight the fire even if you want to. Just a few lung-fulls of the smoke may require hospitalization.

3) You can't have too big a fire extinguisher. He had one twice as big as the one we were carrying but it wasn't enough.

The motor home was so far away from town and there was no way the firefighters could get there in time to save it but I can't help thinking if he hadn't lifted the engine cover letting the smoke and fire into the cabin he would have had a little more time. Time to grab the dog and his wife's purse.

Maybe with the fire contained within the engine housing he could have fought it from outside with better results. It's just speculation of course. I am not questioning his judgment here. He had no reason to suspect his RV was on fire. But, then again, maybe that's the point. Maybe we should all be more aware of the possibility.

No one starts an RV trip expecting their RV to burn to the frame but it does happen. It could happen to you. Do you have fire Extinguisher? Is it the right type and size? Do you know how to use it? Is it kept handy?

Do you have a plan of escape?

Don't have answers to these questions? Call your local fire department. Most have fire safety classes which include teaching the proper selection and use of extinguishers. Any firefighter will be happy to answer you questions.

Hitching and unhitching a fifth wheel I've seen people try to drive away with their landing gear still down. And I know people who have dropped their fifth wheel on the pickup bed because they forgot to drop the landing gear. Following a systematic procedure each time you hitch and unhitch will minimize the chance you will have similar problems.

HitchingAdjust 5th wheel kingpin to proper hitch height Drop truck tailgate ... if you don't have a special tailgate.* Open locking bar on hitch Back under trailer until hitch engages kingpin Secure hitch locking bar on the fifth wheel hitch Put truck in forward gear (don't give it any fuel/acceleration)and 'bump' the hitch to make sure it is locked Connect umbilical cord and breakaway switch cable Check trailer lights and brakes Raise truck tailgate * Raise Landing gear Remove wheel chocks from trailer wheels Unhitching Pull into the site/storage, and situate the trailer where you want it. Chock the wheels tightly so the trailer will not move Drop the landing gear (important!!!!) Do this first then you won't forget! Disconnect the umbilical cord and breakaway switch cable Drop the truck tailgate... if you don't have a special tailgate. * Gently put your truck into reverse... don't give it any fuel/acceleration.This effectively moves the kingpin off the locking bar which will allow you to easily disengage it. Step on brake and and apply parking brake. Disengage the locking bar and unhitch Drive away Raise truck tailgate * Adjust 5th wheel height to proper front to back level

*Disregard this step if you have a notchedfifth wheel tailgate or you do not have a tailgate.

FAQS by First-Time RVersQ: Do most rv parks have showers/sanitary facilities?A: Yes but midnight potty trips are a bummer. On the up-side, many RVers avoid the sites near the bathouse, so these spots are often untaken.

Q: Do most rv parks offer reduced rates for longer stays; i.e. weekly or monthly rates? A: Most RV parks and Campground offer redused rate for longer stays and often off-season rates are even lower.Government operated parks are an exception. They usually only have daily rates and often limit you to two weeks stays.

Q: Are pets generally accepted at rv parks?A: Generally, yes, especially small pets. But it's always a good idea to check before you arrive or make reservations.

Q: Are rv parks reasonably immune from the crime? Is it safe to leave a trailer or rv unattended while you go fishing or for a walk?A: Yes. At the very least RV parks and Campgrounds are as safe as the average neighborhood. Usually they are much safer. Public campgrounds sometimes have a problem with thefts while snowbird RV parks do not. It depends on the park though so you good judgment. It's always a good idea to lock your vehicles and RV and put expensive things away whenever you leave your site.

Q: How does one deal with laundry on the road? A: Most commercial parks, have coin laundries. Campground guides will usually tell you if there is laundry. There is almost always a coin laundry in a nearby town.

Q: How do you get mail while RVing?A: If you will be traveling for a few weeks you may be able to have a relative, friend or neighbor foward your mail to you. Whoever you get will probably burn out quickly so don't ask them to do it more than three to six weeks depending on how often you will have it forwarded to you.

If you plan to be on the road longer or full time make arrangments with a mail forwarding service.

Some RV parks will accept your mail but many will not. It's a good idea to have it sent General Deliver to a nearby town. Keep in mind the General Delivery mail goes to the main post office in a town with more than one. Choosing a small town with one Post Office will make getting your mail easier.

Differences between private and public campgroundsFaithBaptist, a member of the camping forum, recently asked: "What extra things do I want to consider taking on my camping trip? I usually go camping at a private campground (Fort Whaley) in Ocean City, MD and now I am going camping at a NPS campground (Elkmont) in the Great Smokies."To which I answered: Elkmont is a great place to camp in the Smokies. It may get crowded, but there's plenty of open park land just outside the campground. The campground has restrooms with cold running water and flush toilets, but there are no showers or electrical or water hookups in the park. There used to be a small park store at the entrance, otherwise you can stock up on groceries in Gatlinburg or Townsend. When checking in to your campsite, ask the ranger if there are any fire restrictions and if bears have been a problem lately.

If you are an RVer, run your generator in the day time and you'll be friends with the many tent campers who stay here.

And whether you're an RVer or a tent camper please observe campground regulations and quiet hours. You won't find amenities here like you'll find in a private campground (no pool, no rec room, no restaurant, no phones, no computer hookups, etc.), but you will find hiking trails, streams to swim in, beautiful scenery, lots of wildlife viewing, star gazing at night, wooded campsites, and the Smoky Mountains. Be sure to also ask the rangers about any nature programs going on while you're there. They could range from guided nature walks to evening campfire talks. I think that the National Parks offer some of the most memorable camping experiences available to us.There can be a great difference between expectations when camping at private campgrounds versus camping at public campgrounds (campgrounds in national park, state parks, national forests). Private campgrounds may offer amenities not found in public campgrounds - swimming pools, rec rooms, stores, restaurants, laundry rooms, etc. On the other hand, public campgrounds are cheaper, usually more spacious, near outdoor recreation, and offer simple restroom and shower facilities. Flush toilets and hot water are often considered luxuries. Most private campgrounds cater to RVers with electric, water, and/or sewer hookups. Public campgrounds tend to cater more towards tent campers, and RVers may or may not find hookups. If you're a tent camper, ask upon check-in if there is a tent-only or primitive campsite available. If so, take it because you'll be further away from the noise of RV air-conditioners and generators.

Whatever type of camper you are, while planning your next camping trip be sure to weigh your wants and needs against the amenities being offered when considering a campground.

Full-timers Combine "Regular" Jobs With Freedom To Roam - by Arline ChandlerToo young to retire, yet longing to travel while they have health and stamina, Norm and Chris Denton did the unthinkable. Ignoring askance looks from family and friends, they packed their twins off to college, earmarked funds for tuition, put their dream home on the market, and shopped for an "empty nest" on wheels. As the realtor drove a "For Sale" sign in the front yard of their Redmond, Washington house, the Dentons pulled their new motorhome out of the driveway and headed off to become full-time RVers. Despite comments from his partners in a Washington architectural firm that Norm was experiencing a mid-life crisis, the thriving professional stood his ground. Far from any kind of crisis, the Dentons had leaped to liberty with careful forethought. Early in their planning stage, Chris, a former hairdresser, had switched to driving a school bus, knowing the experience would give her potential for driving shuttles or buses in Workamping jobs. Norm's 12-foot office windows overlooked the parking lot of a medical facility. From his desk, he watched RVers park for appointments. Often, he slipped out to talk with the seasoned travelers and share his "wanna-be" dreams. Three days into their new lifestyle, they Norm and Chris enrolled at the Life On Wheels RV Conference on the campus of the University of Idaho at Moscow. The couple hustled to a week of classes on subjects ranging from RV gadgets to handling mail and telephone communications on the road. New friends re-affirmed their commitment to a full-timing dream. With treasured memories tucked alongside practical RVing tips, the Dentons headed off for their first adventure in a rolling house, ending up in Yellowstone National Park. Along the way, they looked for interesting part-time work to supplement their early retirement venture. Norm discovered a possibility with his favorite diversion, fly fishing for trout in Yellowstone's clear streams. When he and Chris signed up for a full day fishing trip guided by the owner of Blue Ribbon Fly Shop, the man mentioned his need for guides who related well to people. After spending a day with Norm, he recognized polished people skills and offered an opportunity for him to share his passion and, at the same time, net about $200 a day, along with a limit of cut throat and brown trout weighing up to five pounds. When guiding, Norm drives his clients to a point in a van, then takes them to the best fishing holes along Fire In The Hole River, the Yellowstone, and Gibbons Creek. He relates that his job is to watch and see each one's technique. "Some people fish to learn how and others actually want to catch fish," he says, explaining that he also observes the different "flies" that hatch to determine where the trout are feeding. Capitalizing on his avid fisherman status, Norm writes for three publications, one of which is the BASS organization. His regular column on warm water fishing appears in an outdoor magazine and other articles in the state level newsletters. After an idyllic first summer of wandering in national parks and along interesting byways, Norm and Chris proceeded to Washington to speed up the sale of their homeplace. Chris returned to her job as a school bus driver. Norm tagged along trading "power" lunches w[...]

Follow the foliage with these tips, drives and timelinesIf the still-warm September air temperatures have you thinking about sunbathing in the sand, it's time to shift your thoughts to autumn. Fall is just a few days away, and here in the Northeast that means saying goodbye to our swimsuits and hello to sweaters -- and of course, foliage. There's still plenty of time to plan a leaf-peeping trip or, if you prefer, read along and find out when the brilliant autumn colors will come to your area. Our timeline is a general outline of when peak foliage is likely to arrive at your destination. There are many factors that can impact the leaves, such as a sudden drop in temperature or a violent storm that blows the leaves off the trees before they have a chance to fall. Our calendar is based on past leaf-peeping seasons, but you'll want to check with the area's tourism bureau (we've included several useful links at the end of this article) for the most up-to-date foliage reports. We've also included a great drive for every part of the foliage season in the Northeast, from the most northern parts of Maine to southern Pennsylvania. Driving is the most popular way to view fall foliage, so keep in mind that you may hit traffic along popular routes. When you decide to do some leaf-peeping on your own, be sure to check out our guides to renting a car, choosing a B&B and planning a fantastic road trip. Last Week of September Follow the Foliage: Northern parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.Great drive: Acadia Harbor and Heights.The tour starts in Bangor and takes you through Ellsworth to picturesque Mount Desert Island. From there you'll head to beautiful Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, where from the summit on Cadillac Mountain you can be the first to see the sunrise in the Northeast. The lighthouse in Bass Harbor is another highlight of the trip, as are the fishing villages of Deer Island and Stonington. For the complete driving itinerary click here. First Week in October Follow the Foliage: Northern New York, northeastern and central Maine, central and southern Vermont and New Hampshire, northern Pennsylvania and western Massachusetts.Great drive: SoVT (Southern Vermont) Loop Follow Route 7A from Manchester Center, south to South Shaftsbury. From South Shaftsbury take Route 67 to Route 67A in Old Bennington. Continue to Pownal Center via Bennington and South Stream Road (Morgan Street). Drive Route 7 from Pownal Center to Williamstown, Massachusetts. Take Route 2 east to Route 8 north to Searsburg, Vt. From Searsburg, take Route 9 east for a short distance; then, via Somerset Road, an unpaved road, you can take a beautiful side trip to Somerset Reservoir. Retrace your steps to Route 9 and travel west to Bennington. Take Route 7 north from Bennington to Manchester Depot. The drive is 104 miles.Mid OctoberFollow the Foliage: Southern and central coast of Maine, central and eastern Massachusetts, northwestern Connecticut, Catskill Region of New York, central Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and southern Rhode Island. Great drive: Catskill Mountain RegionVisitors traveling between Catskill and Windham on Route 23 will find Lookout Point, with its five-state view, to be a marvel of natural beauty. Route 23A, as it winds and climbs through the Cats[...]